Cranial irradiation induces late-onset endocrine and reproductive-related hormones deficiency and alters gene expression profiles in pituitary

Cranial radiotherapy induces endocrine disorders and reproductive abnormalities, particularly in long-term female cancer survivors, which may in part be caused by the injury of pituitary gland. Female Wistar rats were subjected to a single dose of 6 Gy, and dissected out the pituitary gland. whole-brain irradiation on postnatal day 11. The animals were sacrificed at 6 hours or 20 weeks after irradiation. Hormone levels, reproductive system structure were analyzed and RNA sequencing about pituitary was performed.